Dear Church,

Earlier this week I was reading a passage in Luke 8 that’s been a familiar but frustrating one for me. It’s the one where Jesus is speaking in a crowd when his mother and brothers come by and ask to see him. Jesus ignores them and instead tells the crowd that anyone who hears God’s word and puts it into practice is his mother and brother. Jesus response to his family has always felt disrespectful to me. As I meditated on this passage I asked God if I’m missing something. God challenged my perspective to see that Jesus is actually elevating the relational value of following him to the same level as family; not the other way around as I have often thought. With a fresh perspective in mind this week I’ve seen my teammates on staff and all of you in a new light. My love and affection for our church has deepened and my appreciation of my family (my wife, kids, mom, brother and sister) has been heightened.

This weekend as we gather in a worship service I hope we’ll see and appreciate each other the way Jesus sees and loves us…as family. We have a unique experience planned that I truly hope you don’t miss. Come with an expectant heart that’s ready to respond to and support how God is moving. If you’re the curious type, and wonder what we’re up to, check out Acts 8.

See you soon.

Pastor Kevin